Tag: Cummins Clearance Parts

Torquepower ex-Army Clement is a warehouse hero. Clement ( Poly) Poland, and his 6 siblings were born in Perth and grew up with an Army Engineer Dad . A mechanical kid, Clement would bush-drive old Falcons and then fix engine parts and panels . He attended Star of the Sea and Colby Catholic Colleges , and left at year 10 to attend TAFE to Fast Track senior subjects so he could join the army.

An Army Reserve member since the year 2000, Clem was a mechanical operator and forklift driver for private companies, and joined the ARA ( Australia Regular Army) as a transport driver . He drove Mercedes Benz, Unimog’s, 1980 Mack 3 axle R series , Mann and Fleetliner trucks, and learnt Bulk Fuel operations and dangerous goods.

Overseas in Iraq in 2006 and 2007, Clement was a protection party driver on the huge Taleel US Army Base for the Tour de Force troop entertainment and morale group . Other duties included driving 13,000 litre diesel fuel tankers distances in Iraq to refuel army units outside the base. Ferrying fuel through “Ambush Alley” kept things interesting, and he enjoyed the camaraderie and mateship.

In the years following, Clement was posted in Sydney, and his first daughter born in 2008. He made a family decision and left the Army in 2009, but stayed in the Reserves till 2012. Since then, Clement gathered a raft of skills driving trucks and supervising warehouses for big West Australian companies, and for Hastings Deering Caterpillar in Mount Isa. A family training organisation was grown many times over with Clement as international business development, and sales and operations management.

Now as Torquepower Warehouse Supervisor, Clement enjoys a smaller family business . “ Workers are well looked after and get the resources they need to do a good job. What I like best about Torquepower is that it is a family-oriented close-knit and family-run group. There is an increased desire to get everything correct for the customer, which means for me parts need to be spot on location-wise . My goal is to make the warehouse flow. A very definitive location saves everybody time and improves productivity.”

“As a family, with three awesome kids; we enjoy fishing, four wheel driving and camping. I still like to keep up the Army fitness with running and gym, and the kids keep me fit ! “

Trucking blind spots . Transport for NSW have done a great job of making an incisive ad, which gets its point over in a smart and believable way. The vast majority of car drivers not only know nothing about the issues around things like trucking blind spots and visibility in a truck. Many car drivers sit cocooned in their own car, with safety systems turned on and do what they want to do and are surprised when other drivers get upset.

Unfortunately, many drivers tune out the trucks moving around them. They assume the truck driver will be able to cope with their actions and their car will remain untouched. However, if the inevitable happens and the truck and car do collide, the damage and risk to life is much more severe than if two cars were involved.

There is also an automatic assumption from everyone outside the trucking community, the truck must be to blame. The media describe any accident which involves a truck, in any way at all, as a ‘truck accident’, assuming guilt from the get-go.

Truck drivers have a certain limitations when it comes to accelerating and slowing down. Heavy vehicles need more room to make turns and their blind spots are much larger than cars. When driving around trucks, keep in mind the following tips:

1. Stay out of the heavy vehicle blind spots

The blind spot diagram, in yellow shade, shows the blind spots are located:

immediately in front of the truck
beside the truck driver’s door
on the passenger side which runs the length of the truck and extends out three lanes
directly behind the truck.
Blind spot around a truck

Remember: if you cannot see the truck driver’s mirror, the truck driver cannot see you.

2. Travel at a safe following distance

Do not follow a heavy vehicle too closely, as you want to see what is ahead (e.g. debris and other cars). Keep in mind the following when travelling behind a heavy vehicle:

Allow for time to stop safely. The table below shows comparisons of stopping distances for cars and trucks when travelling at the same speeds.

For sale – in very good condition and good working order. We purchased it new in 2013. Current recommended retail price is around $2,600. It works well but was undersized for our workshop, so we have recently upgraded.

Specifications;

Pilot K25/21 Industrial 147L 5.5HP 3 Phase Industrial Air Compressor

Model: K25/21 Industrial

Purchased new 2013

Now $800 ONO

Contact ;

Call Andrew Lawrence to organise inspection 0732778277, or see us at 170 Beatty Road, ARCHERFIELD

www.torquepower.com

Design;

The Three Phase Industrial” series is Pilot Air’s premium cast iron range of air compressors suitable for heavy duty industrial use.

Reliability;

The “Three Phase Industrial” Series has high quality and oversized componentry to give the air compressor longer, trouble free life with less wear and tear.

Features;

Features include T.E.F.C. 415V/50HZ (Three phase) motors on all models with overload protection. Models K25 through K100 are two stage compressors and offer aftercooler and intercooler design to increase efficiency and provide higher pressure capabilities. All Receivers are AS1210 approved

The Australian Government will deliver almost $20 million to upgrade and widen 24.8 kilometres of the Landsborough Highway, north of Longreach, Queensland.

Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester said the project aims to improve safety for road users between Longreach and Winton on the highway.

“The Landsborough Highway is the main north-south route serving western Queensland, and I’ve seen for myself the poor condition of sections between Longreach and Winton, with an ageing surface and a number of safety issues,” Mr Chester said.

“The Australian Government’s commitment to addressing these issues is just one way Queensland will reap the benefits of our record $75 billion investment in infrastructure nationwide, which is aimed squarely at helping unlock the potential of our regions in particular.”

Federal Member for Maranoa David Littleproud said the works would support the region’s economy and communities.

“These upgrades are an investment in the productivity and prosperity of western Queensland communities by building stronger road surfaces, wider lanes and better flood immunity—particularly at Dingo Creek and other low-level crossings,” Mr Littleproud said.

“Freight traffic is forecast to double on this route, which makes these works critical to the future success of the grazing and resources industries and the safe and efficient movement of freight.

“The industries of northern Australia, including those in western Queensland, contribute billions to our national economy, and investing in these key arterial roads means they’ll be able to continue developing—creating jobs in our regions and cities, and fostering new and emerging industries for generations to come.

Works are expected to be completed on the joint Australian and Queensland government-funding project by mid-2020.

Industry has been invited to express interest in $64.8 million Perth interchange project – the third and final upgrade to Wanneroo Road in Perth’s north – the Wanneroo Road-Ocean Reef Road interchange project

The works will require design and construction of a bridge at the Wanneroo Road and Ocean Reef Road intersection, traffic signalised on and off ramps, drainage improvements and the realignment of paths and pedestrian crossing points.

The project forms part of the $2.3 billion Federal-State infrastructure package, which supports 17 new projects around Western Australia.

The previous works on Wanneroo Road include the widening of Wanneroo Road to Flynn Drive, which is under construction, and the upgrade of the Wanneroo Road and Joondalup Drive intersection, which is currently in the planning phase.

Western Australian Minister for Transport Rita Saffioti said the three upgrades to Wanneroo Road will be integral to the growing northern suburbs communities.

“Versus medium-speed engines, the QSK95 delivers unmatched fuel efficiency and responsiveness with ultra-low emissions and reduced noise, all in a smaller footprint. It supports a 16 percent improvement in fuel efficiency over the non-Tier 4 locomotives that the Charger will replace. The emissions improvement is around 90 percent,” said Melina Kennedy, Executive Director of Cummins Rail Business.

The Charger locomotives, built by Siemens in Sacramento, California, are the first high-speed passenger locomotives to receive Tier 4 emissions certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). They are Buy America compliant, using a diverse base of U.S. suppliers including Cummins.

The lighter-weight design enables improved efficiency as well as less maintenance for both the locomotive and the railway infrastructure. Cummins high-speed QSK95 engine is 30-50 percent lighter and smaller than an equivalent traditional medium-speed engine. The locomotive has a fuel capacity of 2,200 gallons and is three times more efficient per passenger than comparable two-person car travel.

Locomotives are currently operating from hubs in Oakland and Chicago. Brightline’s passenger rail service, connecting to South Florida and later on to Orlando, will operate from West Palm Beach. In 2018, there will be a further hub in Baltimore. The locomotives are being supported by close collaboration from Siemens and the local Cummins distributors to ensure high levels of equipment uptime.

“To date, we have delivered 70 out of the 80 engines initially ordered. Based on the positive feedback so far, we expect demand to continue as more projects come on-line,” added Kennedy.

The Federal Government reports that 32 concrete girders, each the length of a fully-grown blue whale, have been installed as part of construction on a new overpass west of Toowoomba, Queensland.

Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester said duplication of the Warrego Highway between Toowoomba and Oakey was ramping up, with the major engineering milestone recently achieved between Charlton and Kingsthorpe.

According to Mr. Chester, the installation of the girders for the new overpass at the intersection of Kingsthorpe-Haden Road and Gowrie Mountain School Road represented a major milestone in the Stage 2 duplication of the Warrego Highway between Toowoomba and Oakey.

“This is a known crash site and safety on the highway will be greatly enhanced once the overpass is opened to traffic in November 2017,” said Mr. Chester. “This $160 million upgrade is one of 15 projects being delivered as part of the Warrego Highway Upgrade Program.”

Queensland Minister for Main Roads, Road Safety and Ports, Mark Bailey, has said the girders, which measure 25 metres long and weigh 27.7 tonnes, would provide the platform for the new overpass on the highway at the intersection of Kingsthorpe-Haden Road and Gowrie Mountain School Road.

Federal Member for Groom John McVeigh said the girders needed specialised heavy transport to move, and large cranes to lift and place them on the bridge sub-structure.

“The installation of 32 concrete girders formed an important component for the construction of the new overpass,” said McVeigh. “Stage one of the project was completed in July 2016 and the Stage two upgrade between Charlton and Kingsthorpe will vastly improve safety through better separation of opposing lanes of traffic, upgrading several intersections and providing new turning lanes,” said Mr. McVeigh.

The Australian Government has committed $128 million towards the $160 million Toowoomba to Oakey Duplication Stage 2 (Charlton to Kingsthorpe) project, with the Queensland Government contributing $32 million.

The $635 million Warrego Highway Upgrade Program is funded by the Australian and Queensland governments on an 80:20 funding split arrangement.

Road test of a heavy duty truck powered by the new Cummins Westport CWI 12L Near Zero engine at the Ports in California, shows outstanding performance on the Grapevine while hauling a full load!

The ISL G Near Zero (NZ) NOx natural gas engine is the first MidRange engine in North America to receive emission certifications from both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Air Resources Board (ARB) in California for meeting the 0.02 g/bhp-hr optional Near Zero NOx Emissions standards for medium-duty truck, urban bus, school bus, and refuse applications.

The game-changing Cummins Westport ISL G NZ exhaust emissions are 90% lower than the current EPA NOx limit of 0.2 g/bhp-hr. The ISL G NZ also meets the 2017 EPA greenhouse gas emission requirements with a 9% GHG reduction from the current ISL G.

Like the industry leading ISL G engine, the ISL G Near Zero operates on 100% natural gas which can be carried on the vehicle in either compressed (CNG) or liquefied (LNG) form. The ISL G Near Zero can also run on renewable natural gas (RNG).

The price of diesel goes up a little bit and immediately LNG and all that gas comes back into the reckoning. The margins in road transport are so slim, only a small incremental change can tip the balance between fuel options.

While carbon emission reduction is a major talking point in Europe, it is barely on the horizon here in Australia. The apparent impasse in Canberra in developing any kind of viable carbon reduction scheme, means truck operators here are not looking to reduce carbon emissions to reduce costs.

However, this is not stopping some operators from having a go. Currently, there are two trucks, a Kenworth T403 and a Volvo FH540, working in a major resources hauling fleet with a bespoke gas and diesel mix system researching the cost, carbon and particulates reduction implications.

The only driver for reduced carbon engines is the corporate decisions made by some of the multinational giants operating here to reduce their carbon emissions globally, including Australia. We will not expect any major changes in the economics around reduced carbon footprint until a clear policy framework evolves.

Another driver for change in Europe and North America is the production of methane gas from renewable sources, biogas. This has the ability to drastically cut carbon emissions up to 100 per cent.

In the US the next round of emissions control are all about carbon footprint reduction. There are also even stronger restrictions in areas around the Ports of LosAngeles and Long Beach, incentivising transport businesses to look at alternatives like electric and LNG power. As a result engines like this Cummins Westport 12 litre are being trialled in many fleets.

The New South Wales Government is exploring the possibilities of autonomous trucks with freight movements expected to double across metropolitan areas and by up to 25 per cent in the bush by 2056, according to a report from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

Transport Minister Andrew Constance has reportedly unveiled a regional transport plan at Ballina that would suggest that driverless freight trucks could be a common sight on New South Wales roads in the future.

“Certainly in terms of safety, first and foremost, it will be a big change,” said Constance. “And we are working to make sure that with the advent of autonomous vehicles, particularly in the bush, we do actually look at what’s required in an infrastructure sense.” Roads Minister Melinda Pavey reportedly told the ABC that she would prefer autonomous vehicle trials to be conducted in regional New South Wales.

“That is the area that is probably weaker in our road safety statistics and we want to see that improved,” said Ms. Pavey. “And it is vital that regional communities are part of it and we are not scared about how it’s going to change things because it’s going to make the roads safer.”
She reportedly said the state introduced legislation in the past few months so it could be ready for this change.

“Our officials are watching what’s happening throughout the world,” said Ms. Pavey. “We want to be part of it, we don’t want to make it complicated if anybody wants to come in and bring autonomous vehicle technology that’s going to make it safer on our roads.

“It’s contrary to our own instincts to think it would be safe without a driver behind the wheel but we must remember that 94 per cent of all accidents involve human error and if we can harness the latest technology, we can actually save lives and drive the road toll down,” she said.

The ABC has said that the concept contained in the draft regional transport plan will be open for community comment until 3 December.

The Australian Automotive Research Centre (AARC) is near Anglesea in the Otway Forest Park, on Victoria’s Great Ocean Road. International Harvester originally built the place when it was a power in Australia and based in Geelong.

The original Acco trucks designed and built in the fifties and sixties would have seen their first light of day at this testing track.
It is a little unusual for a transport company to own such a specialised facility, but Lindsay Fox is an unusual man. It is the biggest testing area of its kind in Australia. As such, a lot of testing by many of the automotive companies takes place here.

It is such a big site, there will often be a number of different testing programs going on at any one time. Often those doing the testing will be competitors, so confidentiality and clearly defined partitioning of the site is often necessary to ensure the wrong person doesn’t get to see another’s next generation vehicle, tyre or braking system at work.

Another use for the facility is for events involving vehicles. Journalists for truck magazines often get their first taste of a new truck in the enclosed and secret confines of the AARC track. There is a long enough main track and a substantial country road type scenario for a driver to get a reasonable first impression of any new technologies or designs, before getting the opportunity to test the truck in more realistic conditions out on the highway, after the truck’s release.